YIKES Rachel......I probably would have had a heart attack on the spot!!! I don't know if I would go out on the patio either, and that is sad because they look so peaceful and nice and private to just relax on. Agree with Kim hope it slithered away to some far distant place and doesn't come back.

Don't you just love it when you say to husband, "OMG there is a cobra", husband laughs, opens door and says "OMG there is a cobra"!!! Or some similar scenario.....been there a million times.

Haha JoAnn, so true. And now he is the one looking under the bed and under every pillow to make sure the coast is clear. Anyway, I don't think I am going back out on that patio. I will just stay inside, or go up to the lodge if I want to be outside.

What an afternoon. BEST LEOPARD SIGHTING EVER.

Mother leopard and two cubs just about to be kicked out to vend for themselves. All together with an impala kill. The kill dropped to the ground, mother is eating the impala. One of the Cubs starts hissing at the mother, she hissed back. The cub kept getting closer and the hissing and growling escalated. Suddenly they started fighting with lots of growling. It happened so quickly. Did not last long but seeing two leopards in combat was amazing. The mother backed down and the cub took over the kill. The hissing and snarling continued. The cub dragged the impala to a different area. Finally mom laid down. When we left that cub was still protecting that kill with hissing.

We had a wonderful bush baby sighting it just stood still for us and we were really close. Then we saw two white tail mongoose. They are so much bigger than the other mongoose about the size of a big domestic cat with a long bushy tail. It was a great sighting. We also got in the herd of buffalo and really up close and personal with some big males.

Everyone was pretty happy and we dug into a wonderful Calvin Cosmo. This bartender Calvin is wonderful. So next group get your Cosmo fix here

haha Ngaire, sounds like a teenage girl and Mom batting heads with each other.

I am just loving all the reports and photos. What a vicarious adventure all of us at home are having, and more to come!

I was on th drive with Ngaire and the leopard dispute was pretty exciting! Really reminded us that these are indeed wild animals who would not take kindly to being approached on foot. One ranger yesterday when asked rhetorically " what would happen if we got out of the jeep." Said " she would rip you apart in seconds". Duly noted.

I must report that Ngaire "sure can pick 'em" re hotels/safari camps. The rooms here are amazing. Not really rooms tho. Each is a separate cabin. Each one is huge, 2 full bathrooms with dressing rooms, one with tub and one with shower. A big living room area and a huge wrap around terrace with plunge pool and 2 different sets of loungers, table and chairs. We each of a view if the river below with whatever animals come by. Thankfully no black mambas for us!
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Helen

Slow start today but great finish. The highlight of today was the hippo. Normally you only see hippos in the water or a fast glimpse if you catch them out of the water. Today was the mother lode of hippo sightings.

We saw the hippo out of the water on the bank of the river. We got to that spot as quickly as we could but he had gone into the water. So we continued our drive and crossed the river on the bridge. Then we spotted him again across the river close to where he had been before. So we decided to cross the river again at a closer spot rather than going back over up the bridge and try again for a good sighting.

So into the river we went but it was a little deeper in one section than we expected so it was high water around the front of the vehicle but we made it. Pretty exciting stuff.

We found the hippo crossing the road going into the bush. The ranger Dave said he knew where the hippo was headed. So we drove down the bank to a large water pool. We waited. He moved a little and he stopped moving and we waited. Patience is a virtue and it really paid off. We thought he was not moving because of us and that we would run quickly into the water when he did move.

Finally he came out of the bush and looked directly at us. Fabulous shot we were so close maybe 10ft. I thought that was great but it got better.

Then he ambled into the clearing and stopped and there were no bushes or any obstruction to the sighting. He stood there for at least 10 minutes. This is really strange behavior for a hippo. Totally relaxed with the vehicle. The ranger could not figure it out either. Obviously the hippo had been doing this stopping and not moving before and it had nothing to do with our vehicle at all.

So cameras clicking and I saw things I had never seen before. The strange shape of the tail with hair standing straight out at the end of the tail. The big hairs just above the mouth. How massive his mouth really was. His bulging eyeballs wee very obvious never noticed that before. Our ranger said it was his best hippo sighting he had ever seen and I believe that, it was incredible.

Then we waited to see him go into the water. There was another hippo in the water already. The hippo started towards the water then stopped again. Finally it turned around and walked straight towards our vehicle. Gave the eye and then wandered back into the thick bush. Obviously this hippo wanted in the water but was concerned about the other hippo. Trying to figure out why animals do what they do is a lot of fun

I will remember this sighting forever. Patience is required for really good game viewing, we spent a long time waiting for this sighting and it really paid off.

We also saw two male lions and a female lion that had come over from Kruger and caused all kind of issues scattering the prides to the North. These lions are not habituated to the vehicles and very skittish so you can not get close like you normally can.

One of the lions started growling and we left immediately, do not need to be asked twice to leave. In Kim and Alice's vehicle the lion stood up, took a step and growled of course that vehicle left quickly too. They only had one vehicle in at a time.

Animals do give warnings they really do not want a dispute but you need to be able to read the signs and the Rangers can judge the behavior. Of course a growling lion is definitely an easy to read signal. Some other animals are more subtle in their signals. It reminds you that we are in wild Africa and that it is critical you follow all the Rangers directions and if you do that then things are fine.

Lrhino close, baboons and some other animals but this was the holy grail of hippo sightings.

Every group except ours saw lions this am. Bummer. We saw lots of tracks but no lions. We did see 2 jackels, a mama rhino with her baby who did not want us to get close, a bunch of elephants with adolescents and babies in the group, lots of different birds.

After breakfast, some of us went on a walk accompanied by 2 rangers with guns. No animals close up, but we didn't expect any. More about flora than fauna.

There are some wonderful photos throughout this lodge. At the entrance to the gym is one of a crocodile getting ready to bite down on a Cape buffalo calf. Most aren't quite that gruesome though.

Giant (monitor?) lizard keepIng me company just off our veranda. He is as big around as my arm!

Was with Rachel this morning so no lions for us but we did see jackals (while wearing our jackets) and some animals that looked like warthogs but not quite. I think the ranger called them bush hogs. Saw a very pretty stork, an eagle and a vulture so not a bad drive at all, just no cats.

I skipped the walk and just hung out with my lizard and a glass of wine. You are certainly on vacation if you are drinking wine at 11 am! As the saying goes " life is good"
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Helen

Sitting here doing emails and the phone rings. It is Alice, calling to let us know there are elephants outside our room. We scoot out there and there they are, along with eight giraffes and some nyala.

Alice, Dick, Alex Barbara, ken and I are all on our balcony watching all these elephants coming down the bank into the river. Splashing, drinking and the little ones rolling in the water. The giraffes are also drinking what a scene. The elephants are moving to the lodge and will go past every room. I hope they move slowly and are going to provide lunchtime entertainment.

Not sure when Ken will get pictures up too much keeps happening and there is no time. Hopefully a few today.

Got to see the elephants walk RIGHT by my patio. Of course, I stayed safe off the deck as I wasn't wanting a repeat snake encounter.

First day at Mala Mala:


Cape Buffalo on our arrival at Mala Mala.




Impala buck wants female Nyala out of his herd.


Lilac Breasted Roller.


Vulture.


The Leopard Mother.


One of the young female cubs.


Mother and daughter both want the rest of the Impala.


The ladies land rover arrives.


The second daughter comes down from the tree where the Impala was before it dropped.

Things are getting tense.


Right before the confrontation, which happened so quick I did not get a shot of.

Another great day! We watched the elephants from our veranda and really enjoyed the entertainment of watching the little ones struggle up the sandy shore. On our evening game drive we saw baby hyenas ( who knew they could be so cute ?). We also saw a civit cat and another jackal. Then just minutes from the camp we encountered and became surrounded/ trapped by a herd of literally hundreds of Cape buffalo. We wound up being the last jeep back for Cosmos!
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Helen

Quick post. This afternoon we saw two four month old hyena puppies. So cute they came right over to the vehicle to check us out. Pictures will follow

This safari sounds like so much fun.....so many unusual things happening. I did a little reading on the Black Mambo. Holy Smokes I would have jumped out of my skin. Thanks for all the updates and photos!

Loving all these reports. Keep up the good reporting and all these super photos !! Love reading this !!

Omg Rachel, I think that was my room...was it 7? I would have died. We had a snake in our shower on one of our safaris, but I never saw it and never ventured into an outdoor shower again.. Loving the reports

haha, I had a tiny one in my cabin at Singita first ROAR....the room attendant went into a frenzy, and a ranger came to get him. He was no more than twice the size of a pencil, and the ranger let him crawl up and down his arm to soothe me, and just laughed. I calmed down and was fine. Nothing like this black mambo thing!

I too read about the Black Mambo……now I am assured of NOT be going out there when we are on Zebra 3!

The snakes are usually inactive at this time of the year. It is the heat that brings them out. Remember previous safaris at this time of the year and how cold it was in mornings and evenings. At times we barely needed a light jacket. Snakes were a rare sighting for sure. I think only about three mornings we have had where it was just chilly early.

Today it was cold I loved it. This heat will stop and hopefully that is starting to happen now. Do not worry about the snakes we did not see any on the first group. We have all been using our balconies just look on the deck before you step out. Yesterday we watched the elephants from our deck.

Okay this mornings game drive.

We were out with Kim and Alice. Started with the elephants and we had a nice sighting. Then we went north looking for lions. On the way we saw two hyenas and a lot of Eagles. Those are signs of a kill so my antenna went up I LOVE hyenas and vultures cleaning up a kill. Hard to see but one of my favorite sightings. One of the hyenas came right up to the vehicle. That was great.

The lion hunt continued with all four vehicles were involved. Tracks of two male lions had been found and we were assigned to check the parameter of the block where they thought they were. Then we went into the block off road but did not find anything. This took well over an hour. Finally one of the vehicles spotted the lions. So we all headed in that direction.

We found a really nice healthy big male eating an impala carcass. Kim mentioned that this was a long way from the Eagles and hyenas we had seen earlier. The ranger said he thought the lions may have killed two fighting impala as their bellies were too full for just one impala. I think Kim has a handle on this safari thing now. The other male was walking into the bush. We watched the action at the kill and then went to check the second male.

What a BIG BOY. I instantly thought this is a Kalahari lion like they have in Madikwe game reserve that is on the edge of the Kalahari desert. He was huge and had a massive black mane that came down between his legs. Then hair on his elbows and belly. This lion was all testosterone. The ranger told us that there was that gene pool in this lion and would be very good for area to get Cubs and build a pride. Let's hope that happens it would really be great.

The hope is these two lions will take over this territory and push out those Kruger lions we saw already that looked so unhealthy.

So it was a bit late and we started back. Then we saw a bigger bunch of Eagles and vultures - the signs of a different kill and this was the area we had seen the hyenas earlier. We all agreed to blow off breakfast and go and look. So we went crashing through the bush and we were rewarded. Lots of vultures working the carcass of another male impala so the ranger guessed that correctly. The vultures were having a few squabbles. There were different varieties of vultures. I love the vultures I was so happy not seen this for a long time.

We made it back and breakfast was still available. It was a SUPER morning.

Yes, Andi, cabin 7 is where we are, and the snake was in the outdoor shower when I first saw him. No outdoor showers for me.

To add to the report about this morning, we were with Laura and Jack, with David as our ranger. Things started off pretty slow. We did see a wildebeest who has had a broken leg. That was 2 years ago, and he is still alive and healthy enough looking except he walks with a limp. Anyway, he has managed to avoid being eaten for 2 years. We also saw and owl and some vultures.

After it started warming up, we saw two hippos in a big pond. Pretty much only their ears visible. There was a mama rhino with a pretty small baby. She did not want us to get close. Then the lions as mentioned above. They are way fatter and healthier than the ones I have seen previously.

After breakfast, those who wanted could go on a walking trek with fritz and Mark. We had a nice walk, but the highlight was coming back when we came across a group of elephants taking a mud bath. They were slinging mud all over themselves with their trunks. The babies were laying down and wallowing around and wrestling. We had to wait quite a while to go past as the mud hole was right by the road.

Mala Mala:


Fish Eagle.


Goliath Heron.




A Lion from Kruger that was skitish and growled at us, we got the message.

Duiker.


Fig Tree.


Hyena Pups.

Paul- Alice and I are on the patio in our villa and saw a couple of purple crested turacos fly by. Beautiful! But we are not photographers, so could not get a shot. We were just relaxing and looking at a couple of Cape buffalos across the river.

Went for bush walk after lunch and on the way back came upon an elephant spa. About a dozen elephants in a muddy water hole. The young ones were cute playing. Older one was very particular about getting completely wet all over and focused quite a bit on the undercarriage.

Alice got cool video of the lion chewing up an Impala leg on the morning drive Ngaire described. Lower part of shin with hoof dangling out of his mouth.

I have been taking notes on my iPhone notepad of what we see while on the game drives. Alice transfers them over to our checklists. Not sure she realized I start each of the notes with the name of the ranger for that drive because this afternoon she asked me "What's a Fritz?"

I was reading Ngaire's post and these two sentences from our sweet Ngaire just made me laugh!

Superb pictures Ken! Glad you saw the turacos Kim.

Did anyone go on the great white shark adventure while at Birkenhead? Highly recommended (note to Zebra 3).

Continue having amazing sightings and posting them.

Last afternoon game drive.

Started off slow with giraffes, zebras and then we had a great elephant sighting. The elephant was SO close. It was a young male and he would eat and then give us attitude, then eat and a bit more attitude. It was great.

Then we got the word, they had found wild dog. We did a Ferrari safari to get to that area. The dogs kept moving in and out of Mala Mala property. They were right on the boundary. They were not hunting and all looked they had just had a meal. We followed as best as we could crashing through the bush. Then they all came together with all the welcoming behavior. Fantastic

The other vehicles had some great sightings.

A newborn rhino that the ranger thought may be dead. It was not moving and it also looked premature. They stayed and waited and finally the little rhino stood up and then nursed.

The two big male lions went to drink together. Dick got a great shot. Then a hippo charged the lions I guess the hippo thought it was just his territory. The lions ran away. The ranger said he had never seen any interaction like that between lions and hippos

These are the magical moments that you never forget and that you will never see again. That is what has made me fall in love with South Africa and wanting to keep coming back. I would loved to have seen those sightings. Always something unexpected around the corner.

Awesome game drive this am! Today is George and my 34th wedding anniversary so I had arranged a special surprise. Micheal, who is a young ranger about the same age as our boys, agreed to take us on a private drive up to this big rock hill where you can see forever.

But first, we had to get there. We started off and quickly spotted leopard tracks that were fresh. We tried to follow them awhile, but lost the track. So proceeding on we saw a huge herd of wildebeest (the previous ones we had seen were solitary), a group of baboons in the trees right beside the road, Impala males dueling. We turned a corner, and there right in front of us stood a lion. We quickly slowed down and saw a pride of 7 lions lazing in the grass and on the road, catching the sun. We got to observe them for quite a while, but they weren't doing much.

Then Michael got the call--wild dogs on the hunt. We Ferrari safaried over to them and followed them quite a while. Boy, do they stink! Didn't get to see a kill but observing was fun.

Then Michael took us to the rock hill. We got out, he armed with a rifle, and climbed to the top for amazing views all around.

Back to camp for breakfast, seeing rhino, giraffes, zebras, and an elephant along the way. Had to say good by to the half of the group going to another camp. Barbara and Alex, Jerry and Helen, George and I have another day here before going to Johannesburg.

And best of all, there are 2 mongooses on my patio right now looking for that snake.

Yesterday we saw a hippo chase off 2 big healthy lions and today we saw a herd of zebras chase away a pack of african wild dogs! Neither event is what I would have expected. Stunning really. Our stay here has been super exciting. We are here for one more day and hoping to see the pride of 8 lions that was seen by one of the other jeeps.

(To Ngaire, the staff offered to get our boarding passes for tomorrow at which point we realized that we have neither confirmation nor ticket numbers?)
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Helen

Helen, I have the info. Will bring info to lunch.

Thanks, Rachel . Happy anniversary!

Wonderful reports and photos!

Happy anniversary Rachel - sounds like a special day.

(And that snake - whoa - just looked them up. Scary.)

And it just gets better! After the rest of the crew left, we set off for the afternoon game drive with Michael. It was slow at first. We were looking for lions. We saw a lot of Cape buffalo and Impala, but little else. After driving for quite a long time, it was getting close to sunset. We pulled up on a sandbar next to the river for sundowners.

So we are sitting there drinking wine and eating cheese and crackers (our special order for our anniversary) when we hear a leopard call. Close by. Michael tells us we should get packed up and in the vehicle, which we did quickly, just as a huge male leopard walks out of the reeds along the bank straight toward us. He calmly walks along, right past us. I could have reached out my hand to pet him, he was that close to me. He goes on patrol, and we follow him for a very long time. We could hear the baboons calling out warnings to each other. It was so cool. He didn't stalk anything. He was just patrolling and marking his territory, but still very neat. A super healthy and strong animal.

A wonderful boma dinner tonite. Saw a Little bush baby up in the tree right at the buffet table. The only other guests are a family from Chicago who are very nice and we all enjoyed dinner and a toast to George and Rachel's anniversary. One more game drive tomorrow morning before we head off to the airport.
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Helen

Hi to all of you on Zebra 2!
Ralph and I are still excited about our memories of our sojourn on Zebra 1 and while we are thoroughly be enjoying all the LCT posts recording the experiences of those in Zebra 2, we are very envious of you all and wish we were still there! We are so glad that our leader had some great sightings of wild dogs. Fantastic for you Ngaire - great stuff! Enjoy the rest of your safari. Happy hunting!
June

So great to hear from you June! Give Ralph a hug for me

Rachel a leopard up that close must have been awesome!

Rachel! Wow! What a fantastic sundowner! Happy anniversary! It was glni to to finally meet you and George .
We are enjoying breakfast with the group prior to going out for the morning drive. Something about the temps here that caused the schedule change.

Great bush wine tasting set up in the bush towards the end of the afternoon drive yesterday.

There where 3 huge males lions mostly laying around but also getting up and walking around a bit.

Today was extraordinary for our last game drive. We followed a pride of 3 lions, 2 big males and a beautiful female.they are thought to have crossed over from Kruger Natl Park and thus are not habituated to the vehicles. They seemed quite concerned about our presence so we kept a good distance. A family of 3 rhinos stared the lions down during their walk and the lions moved on. A little later we came across a really big male leopard who was marking his territory so we followed him for awhile. Once he decided he had completed his morning chores he leaped up into a tree, settled down on a branch and took a nap. It was pretty cool to see this powerful animal get up that tree with no visible effort!
So now we pack and fly to jo'burg. So sorry to leave the bush. What a trip. Thanks to Ngaire and Ken who make things so easy!
Hoping for the same for group 3!
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Helen